UK Edition
The best clifftop, harbourside and beach hotels in the UK for a glorious coastal break this year
All hotels have been independently reviewed and selected. We will earn a commission if you book via the links below, but this never affects our rating.
These are unusual times, and the state of affairs can change quickly. Please check the latest guidance before travelling. Our writer visited these hotels prior to the pandemic.
Lockdown has been something of a postcode lottery, with those that benefit from proximity to wide open spaces the envy of many. Perhaps most missed was the country's beautiful coastline – and that may well be where many of us are venturing for our summer holidays. Here are some of the best beach hotels in the UK for a seaside staycation, including the top places to stay for families and couples, featuring infinity pools, sea views, excellent fish restaurants, impressive spas and charming rooms, in locations such as Cornwall, Brighton, Norfolk, Suffolk, Dorset, Isle of Wight, Jersey, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
A true highlight of Carbis Bay is the fact it is the only British hotel with its own Blue Flag beach; so for seaside breaks in the UK it's a truly stunning choice. The main house erected by celebrated Cornish architect Sylvanus Trevail in 1894, blends historic grandeur – gilt mirrors, chandeliers – with cheery interior touches by co-owner Josie Baker. The handsome 125-acre estate includes fine-dining, a superb spa, watersports, a pool and myriad accommodation options. Most appealing are two-storey, balconied Beach Houses, offering direct access onto the sand.
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£
250
per night
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With an appropriate beach shack look (bleached, driftwood style bar in the open, sunny Bistro and similar furnishings in the bedrooms) the Gallivant overlooks the golden sands of Camber. Its name (‘to wander about, seeking pleasure’) is appropriate: it started life as the Blue Dolphin Motel, when no doubt it saw its fair share of gallivants and their girls. Now it’s one of the loveliest informal and affordable beachfront hotels in the UK with a youthful air and plenty of local fish on the menu.
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£
282
per night
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Overlooking romantic Mawgan Porth beach, this scintillating eco hotel blurs the boundaries between inside and out, with glass walls, flat roofs covered in sea thrift and infinity pools that seem to reach to the sea. At its heart is its Ayurvedic spa, with pods suspended in the dark for deep relaxation. The Scarlet may be thoroughly green but there’s no sense of a hair shirt approach: once inside this adult-only sanctuary, the feeling is one of soothing, sybaritic luxury.
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Gob-smacking ocean views are the heart and soul of this cool property, perched on the edge of a cliff on rocky Pentire Head. Whether gazing out of picture windows, or supping prawns and Prosecco on the terrace, it’s all about the sea and the sunsets and the amazing Cornish light. The coast path is on the doorstep with Fistral Beach, Pentire Head and the white dunes of Crantock sands also close by. The building is a sturdy block of Cornish stonework; a huge timber deck out-front seems to hang over the sea like the prow of a ship.
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£
122
per night
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Loved by generations of the same families, The Blakeney stands in a prime position on the charming quayside in one of the Norfolk coast’s prettiest villages, with wonderful views across the estuary and salt marshes to Blakeney Point. Public rooms are smartly contemporary in soothing shades of greens, creams and dove greys. The soft-hued accommodation in this 60-room hotel reflects the public areas and the gentle seaside colours outside. There are panoramic views from the restaurant, bar and terrace.
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£
174
per night
A pebble’s skim from the sea, this coastal south Devon hotel means you can doze at night listening to the bells of bobbing fishing boats and the swoosh of the waves – a rare treat in the UK. Arguably one of the best hotels with a sea view in the UK, this 50-room luxury spa hotel has a magnificent view of Salcombe bay, with its twinkling seas, sandy beaches and pastel cottages. Now a chic retreat the hotel offers a luxury spa, a private cinema, a stylish restaurant, and outdoor terraces with panoramic bay views. As you’d expect from a coastal hotel, the menu is seafood-heavy, and the offerings are simple and classic.
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£
170
per night
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There’s nowhere more fun, and more in the spirit of theatrical, artistic Brighton than this highly individual 24-room hotel at the top of Regency Square, where each bedroom is individually painted by an artist, and more works of art are dotted around the hotel. There are views of Brighton’s seaside from the open-plan breakfast and reception room, a cafe-cum-cocktail-lounge and the rustic but chic Set Restaurant for seasonal tasting menus.
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£
161
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The beachfront location is the inspiration behind the interior design, drawing on elements of the coastal surrounds and bringing the outside in. There are relaxed lounging spaces scattered throughout, plus a two-storey, light-filled glass and zinc dining area at the centre. The restaurant and bar open out onto a balcony upstairs and a terrace below, both with views across to the Mount’s Bay sweep, directly opposite St Michael’s Mount. Whether it’s a late breakfast, afternoon tea or al fresco drinks, hours at the Godolphin can easily be lost gazing seaward.
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£
100
per night
The first boutique hotel to come to Llandudno, this design-led property combines the aesthetics of a Wallpaper* photoshoot with the home-from-home welcome of a family-owned b&b. The owners have clearly invested time and energy in the property – it shows in the eclectic, personal touches. They have sourced vintage pieces from European design fairs and continue to refresh the rooms regularly. It offers a frisson of style for weekend escapers seeking privacy, and a stylish base for exploring local adrenaline and cultural attractions.
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£
145
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A top choice if you're looking for UK seaside hotels with pools, excellent dining options and comfortable rooms. It began life as an unforgiving Sixties building. Four decades on, after major refurbishment, the Atlantic now speaks more of Art Deco and ocean liners, with sophisticated all white reception rooms that are stylish, yet timeless, complemented by beautifully mannered staff who provide the traditional element in a hotel that stays fresh, but refuses to follow fashion. The same can be said for the exceptional cooking of Mark Jordan, which takes its cue from the best produce that Jersey has to offer.
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£
134
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This one of the most majestic coastal hotels in the UK, built in 1897, right on the beach. As if the turreted Scottish Baronial-style building wasn’t impressive enough, it’s got a world-famous golf course on one side, the mountains on the other, the ocean in front and a great spa and old-school charm within. Owner the late Sir William Hastings was a big fan of real fires, and you’ll find them everywhere from the moment you walk into the lofty entrance hall, making the atmosphere both grand and homely. The main Oak Restaurant is a lovely space.
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£
195
per night
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A traditional bucket-and-spade holiday hotel since the Seventies, today Watergate Bay, run by the present generation of the same family, does its job of appealing to all ages with great flair, with an easy going yet stylish vibe and fun for all the family. Its Extreme Academy for watersports makes the most of its location on one of Cornwall’s best surfing beaches and easily justifies the hotel’s moniker of ‘Ski Resort on a Beach’.
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£
210
per night
With an elevated position in the coastal village of Penally, with easy access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, plus gorgeous interiors and long tasting menus, this is easily one of the most romantic hotels on the coast of the UK. The 11 bedrooms are lovely and have views over the sea, and it’s a pleasure to dine in the restaurant with its candlelight and white linen tablecloths. The food is enjoyable and the menu might include dishes such as steamed clams or seared salmon fillet.
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£
190
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• The best spa hotels Cornwall
Hedda Hopper, the American actress and gossip columnist, commissioned Sir Clough Williams-Ellis to build this imposing mansion for her in the Twenties. The setting on a wide pebble beach between Romney Marsh and the sea is glorious and peaceful. Inside, it has attractive, homely bedrooms, a cosy bar, fire-lit sitting room, pretty conservatory dining room and top-floor ‘lookout’ with the feel of a beach hut and an old-fashioned telescope for scanning the horizon. On a clear day, you can see France.
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£
155
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• The best hotels in Kent
This stylish seaside hotel is set right on the miniscule harbour, with wonderful views from sunrise to sunset from the terrace and glass-walled restaurant/bar/sitting room that runs the entire length of the hotel. Staying at this stylish, laid-back waterfront inn in chic St Mawes is guaranteed to make you feel like a very cool model in a World of Interiors shoot. Skies and sea often look Mediterranean, and sitting in the bar over a perfectly executed Fizz, it can be hard to believe you are in England.
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£
230
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Designed to resemble a Venetian palazzo, The Pier was built in 1864 to accommodate passengers departing for the Continent. The original Ha’penny Pier is still charmingly intact and gives its name to the hotel’s first-floor bistro. The downstairs Navyard bar is an appealing place for a drink, popular with locals for cocktails and its 140-strong 'Gin Library'. From six of the bedrooms you can soak up the view: the Orwell and Stour estuaries in the distance and tugs and fishing boats beetling about on the water at your feet.
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100
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Set beneath the cliffs on the beach, The Cary Arms’ location is nothing short of spectacular. Rooms are delightful, with retro red leather bed heads, pretty wardrobes and sticks of rock on snow white pillows. Best of all are the hotel's beach huts for overnight stays: luxurious touches abound, including walk-in showers, non-mist bathroom mirrors, soft carpets, White Company toiletries, a Smeg minibar, coffee-maker and sun loungers on the terrace.
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£
176
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The location is very peaceful. Queen Victoria acquired the handsome white painted house as a hidden retreat. The undulating grounds are lovely and lead to the RSPB Ynys Hir Nature Reserve at the head of the Dovey estuary. Bedrooms are given the names of famous artists and are loosely themed. The Garden Suites are fabulous: great bedrooms by any standards with cosy sitting rooms and glamorous bathrooms.
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£
190
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Island hotels have a magic all of their own and none more so than Eriska, connected to the mainland by a rumbly bridge but otherwise a world apart: all yours, with its seals and otters and dreamlike views. After a fine dinner in the turreted Scottish Baronial Big House, built in 1884, guests gather for an Eriska exclusive: badgers feeding from bread and milk on the terrace. There’s plenty to do: golf, leisure centre and multi-purpose sports hall.
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£
324
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• The best hotels for city breaks in the UK
The medieval core of a fine 16th-century mansion, the tower was built as a lookout for Conwy Castle. The higher you climb, the older its spiralling staircase becomes: Victorian at the bottom, 13th century at the top. The encircling view is enthralling. As you turn, first Conwy Castle, then Snowdonia, then the sea and Anglesey, then Great Orme, catching the golden light, and lastly Llandudno, with the promise of its marvellous 19th-century promenade, come into view.
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£
340
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The all-white restaurant and the huge ship’s deck of a terrace are just right for stylish summer dining, with simple but effective menus and excellent breakfasts. Otherwise, you can enjoy Sunday summer barbecues throughout July and August. There is no pool but no matter – instead, meet Pinuccia, the 8-ft resident yacht, which you can sail around Falmouth Bay to the end of September, with the help of the hotel’s skipper.
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£
230
per night
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A restored Georgian townhouse on genteel Hawley Square, a stone's throw from Margate's sandy beach, quirky Old Town and the Turner Contemporary. The bedrooms span a floor each and, with lavish breakfasts enjoyed in the privacy of one's room, it's more boutique luxury hotel than typical beachside b&b. Floorboards are stripped, walls unevenly undressed of layers of multicoloured paint and plaster, antique chandeliers hang above old radiators painted slate grey, and wildflower posies sit on ornate fireplaces.
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£
160
per night
Just outside the East Lothian golfing town of Gullane, overlooking the Firth of Forth and as close as you can get to the Muirfield championship course without actually sleeping on the greens. Edinburgh is only 30 minutes’ drive away and there are plenty of long walks, sandy beaches and appealing coastal towns nearby if you are put off by putting. As well as special golf packages, there are other distractions: tennis courts and croquet, fishing, clay pigeon shooting and bicycles by arrangement.
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£
266
per night
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An Art Deco masterpiece, the Midland’s sleek white curve sits elegantly beside the shining expanse of Morecambe Bay. It offers magnificent views across the bay to the Lake District’s high fells, particularly from the handsome restaurant with its stylish sweep of window walls. After a multi-million pound restoration, the hotel is now as dazzling as it was in its glamorous heyday. There are just 44 rooms (splash out on the sea view) and an atmosphere that's more boutique than grand hotel.
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£
119
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The seaside setting, tucked into the south-easternmost fringe of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, is charming, and the hotel itself is bright, breezy and contemporary, with a maritime motif. Make the most of the excellent spa, with soothing thermal suite, including an infinity pool, herbal rock sauna and a host of pampering treatments. The 34 bedrooms are divided into three categories – Good, Better and Best – and stylish colours evoke the seaside ambience.
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£
210
per night
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• The best hotels in Wales
Opened by Toby Ashworth’s grandmother in 1988, The Nare was the county’s first luxury establishment. Today, Toby continues to uphold her vision of traditional British hospitality, resulting in a hotel to which guests return year after year, drawn by the kindness, the offer of collection by car from their home, the location on stunning Carne Beach and the good food in the splendid dining room. Children are usually part of multi-generational gatherings. Dogs have their own menus.
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From
£
395
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California meets the Atlantic Ocean at this terrific hotel on tiny Bryher. It takes commitment to get there by ferry and jeep, but when you do you’ll find nothing but grass, golden sand, a jumble of rocks and the vast ocean. There’s also a pool, tennis court, play area, games and fitness rooms. Dishes such as Bryher crabs and Tresco beef are served in sunny weather on the terrace where you can drink in those astonishing views.
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From
£
135
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A one-off. With its authentic Art Deco building and interiors and its determination to recreate a bygone era, this island hotel, reached by sea tractor at high tide, attracts people who love the idea of donning evening dress for dinner, every night, and recreating the past. In its heyday, many celebrities, including Noel Coward, frequented the hotel. Agatha Christie, who wrote two novels here, including And Then There Were None, based on the island, loved it too.
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£
413
per night
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With its wacky profusion of turrets, gargoyles, stone casements and overlapping tiles on steep roofs, this enchanting 18th-century house will bring an instant smile and thoughts of Hansel and Gretel. As for the views, you’ll be entranced, especially looking across fields and sea to Old Harry Rocks. It brims over with charm: the signature conservatory restaurant; walled kitchen garden; original features; quirkily different bedrooms; spa in a shepherd’s hut and much more. For fun in the sun, look no further.
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From
£
275
per night
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Contributions by Telegraph Experts including David Atkinson, Gavin Bell, Suzy Bennett, Sophie Butler, Jade Conroy, Martin Dunford, Hattie Garlick, Lesley Gillilan, Geoff Hill, Gabriella Le Breton, Linda Macdonald, Robin McKelvie, Richard Mellor, Natalie Millar-Partridge, Benjamin Parker, Louise Roddon, Anna Turns, Kerry Walker, Tina Walsh & Antonia Windsor